Newspaper Page Text
2 A
PROSPERITY ERA SEEN
By GEORGIA BANKERS
Biggest Money Crop in Years Believed To Be
Already Assured Farmers, While City Mer
chants Are Jubilant.
Continued From Preceding Pege.
nules. In past years he has done this, but this year he will not.
Creortfia this year produced the largest corn crop in its history.
The hay and oat crops also were good. It would be ruinous to
spend the proceeds even from 14-cent cotton for 77-cent corn. For
tunately, in 1913 Georgia will not.
There is some difference of opinion just now as to the proba
the crop which has been (finned Is
being: sold freely. Although little has
been said about it, there undoubtedly
1b a good deal of "dlatreHK cotton" on
the market—cotton Hold to pay debts
which are pressing. With continued
reports of had weather in the Weal,
or anything like an early frost, and
consequent shortened yield, the mar
ket may Jump again.
And there 1h little cotton left for
the mills of the world to use. The
visible supply at the end of the cot
ton year, August 30, was In round
figures only 2,000,000 hales. The crop
has been estimated at 12,900,000 hales.
That leaves 14,900,000 bales for the
world to use, and the mills of Eu
rope, Japan, India, China and the
United States want 16,000,000 bales
yearly now, the best authorities
agree.
It looks like a "bull" year.
Georgia has been through the tent
of Are. The year has been an ordeal
But harvest time finds sagacious
business men in Jubilant mood
Cheerfulness amounting almost to
exultation Is the keynote of senti
ment to-day among the shrewdest
Expressions of the city’s recognized
leaders are unanimous in their forci
ble size of the crop in this State.
(ientlemen otherwise calm and serene
are wont to grow purplish of face
and thump desks when the subject is
argued.
J. D. Price, Commissioner of Agri
culture for the Htate, says Georgia
will gin 2,000,000 bales of cotton. He
believes dry weather has lopped
400,000 to 500,000 hales from the early
prospect.
A. P. Coles, who has made the es
timate for the Central Bank and Trust
Corporation for seven years and
missed It not more than 50,000 hales
in the seven, puts the crop at 2,600,-
000 hales. A favorite estimate Is 2,-
500,000 bales. Other figures stand In
order between these two extremes.
GREAT PROFIT ASSURED
Just to stay out of the argument,
2,250,000 bales lias been selected as
the basis for computations given here.
Tt does not affect the argument. If
the crop Is 2.000,000 bales, (ieorgla
still will make an enormous profit.
If Georgia's crop Is 2,600,00 bales—
ail the better.
As to 14-cent cotton- It is not
an Impossibility, but a probability
Thirteen cents now is being paid at
Savannah for middling That part of 1 cast of prosperity.
Looks for Huge Crop,
Easily 2,600,000 Hales
A. P. Coles, of the Central Bank
and Trust Corporation, Is convinced
here will be a huge crop in Georgia,
and he never before has missed it
tar. He writes to the country banks:
"We have made careful Inquiry and
onslderable personal inspection of
the crops of Georgia. Information
complied from reliable sources leads
ns to believe that we are on the eve
of harvesting a bumper crop In Geor
gia, not only of cotton, but of corn.
We believe that with an open fall and
a reasonably late frost the cotton crop
in Georgia will easily reach 2,600,000
bales and that the corn crop is prob-
Hbly by far the best that has ever
been produced in this State, all of
which means prosperity in Georgia,
at least temporarily.
"There Is no reason why a suffi
cient amount of funds can not be ob
tained to move the cotton crop, pro
vided the hankers, farmers and mer
chants work In harmony. Country
bankers, especially those located In
the cotton districts, should endeavor
to educate the farmers to the habit
of depositing checks received for the
sale of cotton and paying their debts
by check. This would go a long way
toward relieving the currency strin
gency during the cotton-moving pe
riod.
"We confidently expect u prosper
ous fall and good business.**
City Banker's
Give Cheerful
"I see no reason," says Robert F.
Maddox, vice president of the Amer
ican National Bank, "why 1914 should
®ot find the whole United Slates en
tering upon a period of unsurpassed
prosperity.
"Now, just take stock of the year
just closing. Notwithstanding the
fact that the cotton crop for 1912 was
lJ&OQ.OOO bales short of the 1911 crop,
there have been no failures of Im
portance among banks or business
houses The failures were few and. In
Georgia, of comparatively little Im
portance. That shows the banks and
mercantile bouses were in good shape
financially and could tuke care of
their customers who have gone
through a period of depression which
■ voj more or less world-wide
"The fall season opens with every
assurance of a cotton crop 500.000
bales larger than last year and raised
at less expense than any previous
crop ever grown, better and more
scientifically cultivated. From every
point of view this augurs a splendid
trade for fall.
"If the crop experiences no backset,
we can reasonably expect excellent
Views
Analysis
fall collections. The farmers will be
able to pay their obligations to the
country merchant. He will be able
to pay the wholesalers In the cit
ies, and the wholesalers In turn will
reduce their Indebtedness to the city
banks.
"This is sure to make money easier
after the crop moves, and all lines of
business are bound to feel the good
effect of the splendid period of pros
perity now so promising.
"I believe the further consideration
by the Senate of the currency bill and
the expressed desire of the Senate
committee to get all the facts con
nected with the proposed legislation
Is certain to lead to the passage of a
wise and conservatively planned
mea sure.*
"If this Is true, and such a bill Is
passed. It will eliminate for all time
the danger to the country which
arises every fall from the fear of
having Insufficient currency to move
the crops. This will, therefore, bt- of
special benefit to the South and the
West, and I see no reason * why 1914
should not find the whole United
States entering upon a period of un
surpassed prosperity."
‘Flush' Year Is Time
To Learn Economy
Frank Hawkins, president of the
Third National Bank, is not given to
hyperbole. Yet he waxes enthusi
astic when drawn into conversation
about the crop outlook and the busi
ness prospects for Georgia this sea-
son.
"There is a general cheerful feei
ng.” he explains. "Some of the coun
try merchants and the city whole-
-lers report the best bujfinesB they
ive had for several seasons, and. of
course, they expect to do even better
• hen the cotton crop moves
"< >utstanding obligations—some of
them, to tell the exact truth, older
than they should be—will be wiped
nit by the present crop, and settle
ments pausing from hand 10 hand up
the line should make money easier all
around.
"But this Is the time when 1 would
preach thrift. It is something of an
absurdity to preach thrift to a man
who Is 'broke' But now that the
Georgia farmer and the Georgia mer
chant have money in their pockets,
or at lean have money in sight, they
should practice thrift. They should
fortify themselves for the possible
lean years. I hope there will be no
lean years, but history teaches us to
believe there will be.
"Remember recent history. That is
all 1 would ask. Remember the ban
ner crop of 1911, the extravagances
which followed, and then the short
crop of 1912. and w hat befell. If only
the farmer will keep his money from
burning a hole in his pocket, this sea
son will result In permanent good for
Georgia."
Chamber of Commerce
Prophesies Rapid Growth
As head of a life Insurance com- i exceptional opportunities to study the
puny and president of the Chamber ' trend of events and the condition of
•>’ Commerce, Wllmer L. Moore has j buaniese. From rather an apprehen-
IIEAKST’S SUNDAY AMERICAN, ATLANTA, OA., SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 1913.
Georgia Is To Be Envied, Declares Governor Slaton
( ~* EORG1A is to be envied. The season now opening will bring
J
to this most favored State the blessings of plenty and pros
perity dispensed with lavish hand. Every circumstance is in
collusion to make this a record year.
Georgia this year will make a reasonable cotton crop. The
other States will have short yields. Georgia’s, then, will he big
in relation to the total, and every Georgian should get good
prices for his cotton.
Hut that is not all. The best part of it is that not all the mil
lions which come into the State for cotton will go out this year
for hay. com and oats. Georgia this year raised what seems con
ceded to be the largest corn crop in its history. It has hay and
oats in large quantities as well, while the nation’s yields of all
these feed stuffs is short, because of drouth.
Georgia has every climate from the cold winters of North
Georgia, which serve to perfect the apples of Habersham County,
to the almost tropical mildness of the coast, where you can see
rice fields. Between are corn and cotton, oats and hay, peaches
and melons, sugar cane, yams and potatoes. We depend, not on
ditches which may go dry, but upon the kindly rains from the
Almighty, and are not disappointed. And in this wonderful
State live the nation’s finest people.
What more could Georgia ask? %
—GOVERNOR JOHN M. SLATON.
»lve mood in the spring, Mr. Moore
has been converted Into an optimist
of the extreme type.
"Everything looks good to mfe,"
says Mr. Moore. "The Chamber of
Commerce foresees unrivaled prosper
ity for Atlanta, and remarkable ex
pansion. Plans and projects in sight,
new factories and business houses
Inquiring for locations, and a dozen
other hopeful signs give rise to our
optimism.
"Business done by life Insurance
companies 1» as good a barometer of
general conditions as any, I imagine.
And without making any unusual ef- 1
fort we are doing a greater volume of
business than ever before.
"Reports to us from our agents all
over the South show the crop condi
tions in this section to be exception
ally good. Coarse grains and cotton
promise great yields, and this, too, in
a year when the yield of other sec
tions will be curtailed, and prices
consequently go higher. There will be
business this coming year for every
man of energy and enterprise, and
the South will go straight ahead wUh
Its development."
Country Banker Expects
Moderate Crop, Big Prices
It i« interesting to know' what the
country banker thinks of all this P.
D. Rich, of Colquitt, was in Atlanta
the past week.
The country banker, as typified by
Mr. Rich, does not believe Georgia is
going to make such a wonderful crop.
He doesn't think It will go to 2,600,-
000 bales. He does think prices for
cotton will be high and that Georgia,
with two million, or, say, two million
and a quarter bales, will get more
money than It has In some years for
huge crops.
The country banker finds himself
able to get all the money he needs In
New’ York and Atlanta at a rate
which Is not excessive.
He believes that the remarkable
glnriers' report of September 1 does
not spell a great crop so muiti as It
does an early movement.
Crushers Foresee Busy
Season in Southeast
Cotton seed crushers are prepar
ing for one of the greatest years in
their history In Georgia. They ex
pect a crop of 2,500,000 bales, and ex
pect to crush. In round figures, 900,-
000 tons of seed, or Just about the
same amount as was crushed in 1911
when the banner crop was grown.
I-*. G. Neal, vice president of the
Empire Cotton Oil Company, one of
the largest corporations In the Geor
gia cotton seed trade, says the Em
pire’s mills In South Georgia, number
ing seven, have been operating about
ten days.
"Seed now is bringing about $20 a
ton," said Mr. Neal, "and is yielding
about 39 gallons of good quality oil to
the ton. With the exception of the
fact that there Is considerable mois
ture in the seed, there are no unto
ward fac tors to be considered this
year. We look for fin excellent sea
son.
Wholesalers Are Busy
Replenishing
Willis E. Ragan, one of the city’s
prominent wholesalers and holder of
extensive real estate, believes the
South is entering upon one of the
most prosperous eras it has known
for years.
"We have a splendid ‘house trade,’”
said Mr. Ragan. "Buyers both from
the city ant country are thronging
Into the wholesale houses to replen
ish stocks with the advent of fall re
tail buying.
"It seems to me the South Is en
tering upon one of the most pros
perous eruu in its histoiy. The cot
ton crop lookfi fine, and the price
does, too. All indications are that
the farmers are selling as quickly as
possible and paying their debts. Ev
eryone is feeling good and looking
forward to the best business in many
years. The outlook is excellent."
"Business Is good It has Increased
Retail Stocks
greatly this season, and shows every
promise of growing even more," says
Ernest L. Rhodes, wholesale milliner.
"The Atlanta houses in our line
have had a remarkable volume of
sales. How much of this is due to
general business conditions and how
much to the energy and enterprise of
Atlanta Jobbers, continually invad
ing new territory, territory which al
ways has been conceded heretofore to
other cities, I can not tell without J
close analysis of sales records. But
in all probability, the greater business i
is due to both factors.
"At any rate, sales are larger.
That's the main thing, after all.
"If the farmers, the retailers and
the merchants who sell to them will
now only take advantage of theij
prosperity to liquidate their obliga
tions. then we shall have ideal condi
tions. And I believe this will be
done."
Whitehall Street Filled
With Autumn Shoppers
Along Whitehall street, the center
of city retull trade, the sentiment has
been brighter throughout the year
than in some other localities. City
retail trade has held up unexpectedly
well. Atlanta ha* not felt the de
pression reported from smaller cen
ters. But the advent of fall weather,
or perhaps Just a foretaste of it, has
put life Into business in a way which
has surprised even these merchants.
"We are reordering certain lines
already. That, to any one acquaint
ed with the retail business, is the
most emphatic presentation 1 can
make of business conditions in White
hall street." said W. H. Brittain,
president and manager of High's.
"Our September business to date is
much larger than it was at this time
last year. People are eager for new
things. Mall orders have started
coming in rapidly. It is a regular
revival of trade.
"Shoppers are numerous. It is not
a question of going out after them.
They are coming to the stores. Peo
ple are anxious for the new things, j
for the better class of merchandise.
Stocks have been low. Every one
has bought sparingly since the first
of the year, and the result now is an
active movement all along the line.''
"Just a little more cool weather,
such as we have had a few days this
past week." said J. P. Allen, "and
fall business will surprise every one
People are anxious to buy. The
stores are crowded. The salespeople
are busy. The retailers have every
cause to congratulate themselves.”
Early Trade Opening
Amazes Col. F. J. Paxon
F. J Paxon is amazed at the early
opening of the fall trade.
"I was surprised," says Mr. Paxon,
"to return here in August and find
fall ready-to-wear goods moving well.
Millinery is moving particularly ear
ly. There has been a good increase
in sales volume. Both the number
of sales and the average amount of
sales has increased.
"We expect a remarkable year, a
steady growth and a rapid one
through the next year.
"I am speaking not only for the
business with which I am most inti
mately connected, but also for other :
enterprises in Atlanta of which I I
have accurate knowledge, when I say j
that the resumption of activity al- j
ready seen, with the cotton crop not I
generally moving yet, is something :
at which to marvel.
"Georgia is to be envied, and noth- !
ing At the conference of Governors I
in the West attracted more at ten- |
tion than Governor Slaton's speech i
in which he extolled the virtues of J
his State."
Suffragette jokes Under Ban
+•4* +•+ •*•••!• +•+
Keith Bars Them in Theaters
Vaudeville Magnate Won to Cause Forbids
Performers From Making Light of It.
Once upon a time, and not so long
ago as six months, you went to a
vaudeville show and found yourself
laughing—or frowning, according to
your convictions—at the merry jests
that were cracked in the name of
woman suffrage. That was truly once
upon a time. It occurs no more at
the Forsyth Theater in Atlanta, njr
In any of those showhouses on the
Keith vaudeville circuit.
The secret of the new order is that
Mr. B. F. Keith, magnate of the two-
a-day world, has been converted to
woman suffrage. Ar so it seems. Pos
sessing at least some authority, he
posted the notice that in his theaters
all jokes tending to make light of the
"votes for women" movement would
be barred.
Suffragettes everywhere were glee
ful. No person likes to see the cause
that is near and dear to his heart
placed in the class of the mother-in-
law and the hobble skirt for actor
people to make fun of.
The order of Mr. Keith does not
apply to the Forsyth in Atlanta di
rectly. He owns personally a string
of houses in the East, and it is only
these that he can command. But be
cause he is Mr. Keith and the head of
what is probably the most extensive
booking agency for vaudeville people,
his wishes are somewhat like com
mands. No actor who travels out of
the Keith offices, whether he play in
the Keith theater*; or not, is going to
risk offending the great man. And
so the suffrage joke has fallen into
lean days.
The Keith mandate is one of a se
ries that marks the regeneration of
the variety stage. Some years ag>
Mr. Keith ordered that words bor
dering on the profane should not be
spoken in his houses. East winter
he barred the ancient mother-in-law
joke. Now the suffrage prohibition.
AT GOLDFIELD
Storm Sweeps Through Nevada
Town and Thousands Are Lost
in Property Damage.
GOLDFIELD, NEV., Sept 13.—Two
women were drowned and many thou
sands of dollars’ damage done by a
cloudburst and electric storm sweep
ing through the center of this town,
beginning at 11 o’clock to-day and
lasting three hour*. Scores of houses
were swept down through the two
principal gulches In the camp by tor
rents several feet deep. Telegraph
poles and bridges were destroyed and
electric power cut off.
Crowds of volunteers are helping
in the recovery of damaged property
belonging to the sufferers. No seri
ous Interruption was caused to the
mines.
The dead are Mrs. Degarmo, wife
of a liveryman, and an unknown
Frenchwoman.
All the building* on First street
were practically demolished. Many
lives were saved by bravery of the
rescuers.
Washington to Lose
Most Noted Beauty
Mrs. Spencer Cosby Accompanies
Husband to New Post as
Military Attache.
Special Cable to Th® American.
WASHINGTON. Sept. 13.—Wash
ington will soon lose "its most beau
tiful woman." for Mrs. Spencer Cos
by, wife of the newly appointed mil
itary attache of the American Em
bassy In Paris will accompany her
husband to the French capital in a
few days.
Prince Christian of Prussia, during
his recent American visit, saw Mrs.
Cosby in Washington and exclaimed:
"There is the most beautiful Ameri
can woman I have ever seen." Mrs.
Cosby has a fragile, delicate beauty,
and her arms and hands have been
pronounced by sculptors to be fault
less In proportion.
COLLEGE HEAD
IN FAMILY III
President of Franklin Declares
Epithet Hurled at Mother Pro
voked Assault on Aged Sire.
TERRE HAUTE, IND.. Sept. 13.—
With the Grand Jury ordered to in
vestigate the attack made by Dr. F
A. Hanley, president of Franklin Col
lege. upon his father, Calvin Hanley,
at the latter's home in Middleton
Thursday, excitement has become in
tense. Dr. Hanley was threatened
with violence by friends of his aged
father to-day when he came from In
dianapolis.
Earlier Dr. Hanley issued a state
ment declaring the attack was justi
fied because his father had treated
his mother inhumanly, and that he
was forced to the attack when he
learned his father "called my mother
an unspeakable name and wished she
were in hell."
Dr. Hanley, a leading educator of
Indianapolis, formerly pastor of the
Rockefeller church in Cleveland, came,
it is understood, to the home of his
father and demanded an apology.
When the apology for the alleged
insult was not forthcoming, the son
proposed whipping the father, and In
resisting, the older man fell and suf
fered serious Injury.
In his statement Dr. Hanley ad
mitted striking the blow.
“I tried not to hurt my father seri
ously,” he said, "and I don’t think
that I did. I was brought to the deed
by my father’s continued cruelty ts
mother.
"For 25 years my mother has suf
fered Inhuman treatment, and I have
stood by, but when I heard he call *3
my mother an unspeakable name and
wished she were ‘in hell,’ I could Ik
still no longer.
"I owe everything to my mother
When I was a boy. my father would
w r ant me to leave school to help on
the farm. But mother picked the ap
ples or gathere-' he corn that I might
not miss a day from school.
"But despite everything, I still love
my father, and I will do anything to
help him. Only he shall not abuse
mother.
"I know not what effect this bitter
experience will have on my future
usefulness. Whatever that may be, T
do not see how I could have done oth
erwise. I now know I ought to have
taken matters in hand years ago."
West Point Schools Immortals to Hear
Break Roll Record Lecture on ‘Tango’
THIS WEEK
BIJOU
MATINEES DAILY 2:30
NIGHT SHOWS
Is
Remodeled to Meet
Demands.
WEST POINT. Sept. 13.—The for
ty-fifth annual session of the West
Point public schools has opened, with
the largest enrollment of pupils since
their organization.
The Board of Education, antici
pating an overflow of pupils, had
made every preparation in the way
of room and teachers
The building is equipped with san
itary drinking fountains. electric
lights, electric bells, electric clocks,
telephones and all other modern con
veniences
The chair of English and history
recently made vacant by the death of
Miss Naomi Wells is being filled tem
porarily by Mrs. C. F. Pattillo, of West
Point.
Mr. Walter P. Thomas, who is now
serving his seventh year as super
intendent. is devoting his time and
efforts for the continuous growth and
betterment of the schools.
Great Growth Is Noted and Building i Jean Richepin Will Address Academy
on Subject, but It’s a Play,
Not a Dance.
| Special Cable to The American.
PARIS. Sept. 13.—Paris has been
excited for some day’s past by the
report that Jean Richepin, the dis
tinguished dramatist, wno in his
younger day’s forsook his family
hearth for the love ot a great actress,
is about to defy conventions and stir
up more scandal by addressing the
immortals of the French Academy on
the subject of "The Tango."
It now turns, out that the "tango"
of M. Richepin is a new comedy which
he has completed for the Theatre
Marigny in collaboration with Mad
ame Richepin.
Next month, at a public meeting of
the venerable academy, he will read
extracts from the play.
PRIEST WEIGHING 400
POUNDS FOUND DEAD
DECATUR, ILL., Sept. 13.—Father
H. Gesenhaus, a priest at Shelbyville,
was found dead in bed to-day. He
1 weighed 400 pounds and measured 72
Inches around the waist.
32RUOO MU33YJ
AT BAPTIST TABERNACLE
SEASON 1913-14 WILL PRESENT
lO-TEN CELEBRITIES-tO
KNEISEL QUARTET AND FRIEDA SIEMENS. SENATOR ROBERT
M. LA FOLLETTE. DETECTIVE WILLIAM J. BURNS. CHICAGO
GLEE CLUB MALE QUARTET, RI H E LD AF FE R-G AI LE Y COMPANY,
BENJAMIN CHAPIN IN “LINCOLN." THE DUNAWAY COMPANY,
FRANK DIXON, ORATOR; SID W. LANDON. CHARACTER 1ST; SHUN
GOPAVEY, INDIAN MAGIC.
SEASON TICKET SALE SEPT. 19 TO 02". 4 AT CABLE
PIANO COMPANY. POPULAR PRICES SI 00 TO S2.C0
FOURTH WEEK OF THE
JEWELL - KELLEY COMPANY
PRESENTING THE THRILLING SENSATIONAL
MELODRAMATIC SUCCESS
A MAN OF MYSTERY
The Most Mysterious Detective Story Ever Given the Stage.
DON’T MISS THIS ONE.
ATLANTA’S BUSIEST THEATER
r ADC VTU WEEK OF DAILY AT 2:30
r Ult9 I 1 n SEPT. 15TK. and B:3o p. m.
A COMBINATION OF KEITH STARS
NEXT WEEK
IDA BROOKS HUNT COMPANY
OFFERING "THE SINGING COUNTESS"
THE
LADY
DAINTY
BESSIE
WYNN
THE
SINGING
COMEDIENNE
AND
OTHERS
MME. BESSON METROPOLITAN
COMPANY DANCERS
BIG CITY FOUR T ,»
NOVELTY GRAHAMS MARTIN KENNEDY
BERNARD REINHOLO CO.
IN "HOW HOFFMEISTER DID IT
SECURE SEATS EARLY!
■ ^
THIS
WEEK
TWTTTa
MATINEES--TUES.,
THURS., SAT.
ARTHUR C AISTON
PRESENTS
ESTHA WILLIAMS
SUPPORTED BY EDWIN WALTER AND A SUPERIOR
CAST IN OWEN DAVIS' STARTLING DRAMA
"A
MAN’S GAME"
1
NEXT
WEEK : THE CONFESSION